June 1974 to December 1974
The Butterfly Ball
People involved
Tony Ashton (vcl); Les Binks (drm); Helen Chappelle (vcl); David Coverdale (vcl); Ronnie James Dio (vcl); Jack Emblow (acc); Ray Fenwick (gtr); Mo Foster (bss); Kay Garner (bvc); Mike Giles (drm); Roger Glover (msc); John Goodison (vcl); John Gustafson (vcl); Eddie Hardin (kbr/bvc); Jimmy Helms (vcl); Glenn Hughes (vcl); Eddie Jobson (vln); Chris Karan (tbl); Judi Kuhl (vcl); Neil Lancaster (vcl); John Lawton (vcl); Mike Moran (pno); Ann Odell (pno); Mickey Lee Soule (vcl); Barry St John (vcl); Liza Strike (vcl); Robin Thompson (bsn); Nigel Watson (saw); Joanne Williams (bvc); the Mountain Fjord Orchestra led by David Woodcock and conducted by Martin Ford, John Bell and Del Newman.
A session originally meant to be the soundtrack for a cartoon based on the drawings of Alan Aldridge. Glover was asked to write the score, and he did. Loads of sessioners were brought in to supply the musical mechanics. Tony Ashton, for instance, "had just come from a clinic where he had been 'drying out'. He came in the studio straight from the clinic and I [i.e. Glover] said 'I want you to pretend to be drunk'. He did a very convincing job of it!" (from the CD sleeve notes). Apparently there was also some kind of promo video for the track "Love Is All".
Albums & singles
The Butterfly Ball [lp] : UK Nov 1974 Purple TPSA 7514
The Butterfly Ball [lp] : Germany 1974 Purple Records 1c062-96026
The Butterfly Ball [lp] : US 1975 UK Records UKL-56000
The Butterfly Ball [white lp] : Germany 1983 Line Records LILP 4.00013.J
The Butterfly Ball [mc] : Germany 1983 Line Records LILP 7.00013.G
The Butterfly Ball [lp] : UK 1984 Safari Records LONG9
The Butterfly Ball [cd] : Germany 1989 Line Records LICD 9.00013.O
The Butterfly Ball [remastered cd with bonus video-track!] : UK 1999 Connoisseur (Collector's Anniversary Edition) EVSOP CD 265
Butterfly Ball - Wizard's Convention [cd] : UK 1989 Connoisseur VSOP CD 139
Butterfly Ball - Wizard's Convention [cd] : Japan 199- Teichiku TECW-30211-2
The Butterfly Ball [cd; extra material] : Germany 1995 Repertoire REP 4567
Love Is All/Old Blind Mole : UK Nov 1974 Purple PUR 125
Little Chalk Blue/Sitting In A Dream : UK Oct 1975 Purple PUR 128
Love Is All/Old Blind Mole/Magician Moth [ep] : UK 1984 Safari Records SAF EP 1
Material from above appears on...
The Best of Rare Collection [cd] : Japan 1995 Teichiku TECX-20921
The Deep Purple Family Album [cd] : UK 1993 Connoisseur RP VSOP CD 187
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